Goodyear Series, Amaroo and Eastern Creek, 1990s

When Avesco took over the V8 Supercars series, there was a brief rebellion by the independents, who couldn't afford the "franchise fees" and onerous conditions imposed. They went off and ran in the Goodyear Series at Amaroo and Eastern Creek under the auspices of, I think, LCCA.

I can't find anything about this series, and only heard about it because one of the independents, Tim Slako, mentioned it to me recently. His last race, in his Win Percy build VS Commodore V8 Supercar, was at Eastern Creek, after which he retired from racing for good. (He still owns the car).

Where would I find out more about this series?

(Oh, there's a glitch in this forum, whereby one of the emoticons seems to have been replaced by the Ray Bell avatar. I think the moderators ought to know.)

Aha! It did happen, sort of. Tim said the series happened, but not for long. So a race or two must have got off the ground. The whole thing seems to have evaporated from the history books.

Tim is rather dark about CAMS. He began in an L34, then built an A9X for the ATCC series, only to have Toranas promptly excluded in favour of Commodores by CAMS. So, somewhat Xed off, he moved into F5000 for the Gold Star series, and what happened? Formula Pacific! He ran the ex Andy Rouse Rover SD1 in Group A, until that category was CAMSed out of the ATCC. So he quit for a little while, and then decided to come back with the new V8 supercar category, only to be snookered by Avesco.

CAMS was always ready to jump when GM and Ford said so, and to hell with the privateers.

This is a significant part of recent Australian motor racing history that has been conveniently wall-papered over. I don’t believe that it has ever been satisfactorily analysed or written about, and I suspect that it may be some time before we will read the definitive history.

I believe that the Australian Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) who owned Amaroo Park and were soon to operate Eastern Creek Raceway were the promoters of the Goodyear Series. ARDC had a contract with Channel 7 and the Bathurst City Council to run their 1000 race at Bathurst. When they fell over with AVESCO in 1997 to run the V8s at the traditional date, they were pressured by Channel 7 to run the Super Tourers instead, and paying for six(?) international cars to come from Europe almost sent the club to the wall – they had to sell Amaroo Park to pay their debts. Of course AVESCO ran their “own 1000” in competition to the “real 1000” and it came to pass that not only did the ARDC lose Bathurst as a promoter (and owner of some real estate) but the October long weekend was lost to the rugby league grant final.

The Goodyear series was a way for the ARDC to run a “spoiler” series against AVESCO and their Shell sponsored V8 ATCC championship but I think it died through lack of interest. I’m not sure of the years, but the culmination was Bathurst 1999, when the Super Tourers ran a 500km race and their was a 300km race for their own V8s (not “Supercars”) that was won by Jamie Brock in the wet.

After that there was only one Bathurst 1000 race and the promoter was AVESCO and not ARDC – and so ended a chapter of Bathurst history.

I understand that books on the ARDC 50th anniversary and V8 Super car history have either been canned or watered-down. Too many vested interests (V8 Supercars, ARDC, Channel 7 and Bathurst City Council) don’t want their dirty laundry aired…

The first Amaroo meeting got canned because under the V8 touring car rules the cars had to run a CAMS supplied electronic box (I think it was a rev limiter) and CAMS would not supply them. It all happened at the last minute. Plus there was a problem about the control tyres. CAMS didn't want to allow the cars to run on control tyres and insisted that the cars follow the existing V8 rules. (but when Avesco wanted to do it they bent over!)
So the meeting went on as a very expensive sponsors joyride day.

I was in the ARDC at the time and mates with a V8 driver but my care factor was declining rapidly.

The first Amaroo meeting got canned because under the V8 touring car rules the cars had to run a CAMS supplied electronic box (I think it was a rev limiter) and CAMS would not supply them. It all happened at the last minute. Plus there was a problem about the control tyres. CAMS didn't want to allow the cars to run on control tyres and insisted that the cars follow the existing V8 rules. (but when Avesco wanted to do it they bent over!)So the meeting went on as a very expensive sponsors joyride day.

The first Amaroo meeting also clashed with the V8Supercars round at Symmons Plains, which also got AVESCO going... The first Super Touring round of that year also clashed on this day, at Lakeside.....

From memory, the series was originally going to be called the ARDC V8 Challenge or something, but AVESCO and CAMS objected to the word 'V8' being used, so ultimatly the series was called the "AMSCAR Sedan Series". Goodyear as mentioned was the control tyre supplier (i recall some arguing over the wheel sizes with CAMS?)

As mentioned the first Amaroo meeting was canned by the powers that be, the Bathurst round was axed because of not enough entries (did AVESCO threaten to not accept their 'rebel 1000' entries?), so the orignally non-championship Eastern Creek round became the final round.

Mal Rose won the championship in a Commodore. The races were covered by Channel 7 (though late-night highlights). Other competitors included Allan McCarthy (i think he won the first round or two), Mike Conway, Gavin Monaghan (in Conway's old VP).... i think Bill O'Brien even ran the Everlast VR maybe

AMSCAR - that rings a bell, too. I wasn't following racing at all at that period, except religiously sitting in front of the TV for Bathurst - which I've only missed once since the first telecast - so most of it has fallen out of my head, if it was ever in there.

A lot of head kicking going on, obviously. Tim Slako, whose name I mentioned earlier, had built his car for the ATCC, to run as many races as possible but definitely Bathurst, (it would have been his 10th start), as a privateer. Avesco effectively froze the privateers out with the sub-Ecclestone franchise fee and heavy conditions - right sort of truck (!), two full-time crew, contest every race or cop a 100,000 fine if you don't, etc etc. Closed shop.

When he ran his last race at Eastern Creek, he hauled the car back to West Australia, stashed it in the back of his workshop, and retired. He'd been racing since the late 60s, so it was time.

For those who follow NZ nostalgia, Tim was a Kiwi, nephew of Tom Clark, notes 1950s Ferrari exponent in NZ, later Sir Thomas Clark. He moved to West Oz early on, and set up West Racing to support his racing career. L34, A9X, then three Commodores at least finishing with the VS, which he still has, in its trademark shocking pink livery. Oh, and a season in an Elfin F5000, the MR6 I think it was.

Whatever, it was certainly a changing of the guard - from a promoter dominated (professional) sport to one where the competitors took control of their own destiny. Not really a bad thing in hindsight...

Originally posted by Paul Newby.....it was certainly a changing of the guard - from a promoter dominated (professional) sport to one where the competitors took control of their own destiny. Not really a bad thing in hindsight.

I don't understand this comment...

From what I've seen, competitors have never had a worse deal than they get now. Everything seems to have to be run as a 'series' with 'franchise fees' to be absorbed, promoters don't even try to get a paying crowd to help pay the costs, they simply jack up the entry fees so that the competitor pays all the way.

Additionally, I understood that a large part of the necessity to sell Amaroo Park (to developers) and the Bathurst pit areas (to Channel 7) was the commitment that the ARDC made to pour bundles of money into further development of Eastern Creek. Is that not right?

It's still promotor dominated - Avesco (or whatever its name is now) is a corporate identity, which is owned by shareholders, and promotes races, but its objective is to make money for its shareholders. ARDC is a club, ie a corporate identity, owned by members. Its objective is to run races for its members. I know which I prefer.

When Avesco took over the V8 Supercars series, there was a brief rebellion by the independents, who couldn't afford the "franchise fees" and onerous conditions imposed. They went off and ran in the Goodyear Series at Amaroo and Eastern Creek under the auspices of, I think, LCCA.

The series, while aimed at the privateers, was still open to the likes of HRT or DJR, as long as they were willing to run the Goodyear tyres. It wasn't a competitor driven series, it was ARDC driven, trying to revive the old AMSCAR spirit, plus perhaps to give AVESCO abit of niggle after all the Bathurst rubbish...... AVESCO though wanted to control 'their cars' (and remember at the time CAMS was a 10% shareholder in AVESCO).... there was even suggestions for a while that V8 drivers weren't going to be allowed to drive anything else without AVESCO permission.....

These days the V8 Thupercars to me have very little attraction. It is just money dressed up as entertainment. It is not motorsport.And as others have said it is not open to privateers, the only way they get a drive is buy a drive as a co driver. For about the cost of owning and running the car in years past. Evidently a Thupercar or Stupidcar as Ray clalls them which I quite like] franchise is now worth 6 million dollars
The race Jamie Brock won at bathurst was another V8 class loosley based on Thunderdome Auscars with from memory throttle body injection, forget what it was called. Probably another category filling sheds with wortless equipment.

For those who follow NZ nostalgia, Tim was a Kiwi, nephew of Tom Clark, notes 1950s Ferrari exponent in NZ, later Sir Thomas Clark. He moved to West Oz early on, and set up West Racing to support his racing career. L34, A9X, then three Commodores at least finishing with the VS, which he still has, in its trademark shocking pink livery. Oh, and a season in an Elfin F5000, the MR6 I think it was.

While he is well remembered for his pink cars, he also raced in hi-vis dayglo red and black cars in NZ, he was half of a pair of distinctive minis that used to race over there around 1970, I think his team-mate may have been John Weston.

And his first racing car was an Anglia 105E with a 1500GT Cortina engine. He showed me a photo of it, and I came over all nostalgic. MY first (and only) racing car was a 105E Anglia with a GT Cortina engine.

He also raced an ex Tony Rouse Rover SD1 for a couple of years during the Group A period of the Australian Touring Car Championship. It had several liveries - straight out of the box, in Rouse's paint job still, Daily Mail and Esso all over it - at I think Amaroo. It was pink at one stage, also white at another. The things you do to please your sponsors. Tim's a really nice guy, and very enthusiastic still. He was very impressed by Andy Rouse, both as a gentleman and as a setter-upper of SD1s.

And his first racing car was an Anglia 105E with a 1500GT Cortina engine. He showed me a photo of it, and I came over all nostalgic. MY first (and only) racing car was a 105E Anglia with a GT Cortina engine.

He also raced an ex Tony Rouse Rover SD1 for a couple of years during the Group A period of the Australian Touring Car Championship. It had several liveries - straight out of the box, in Rouse's paint job still, Daily Mail and Esso all over it - at I think Amaroo. It was pink at one stage, also white at another. The things you do to please your sponsors. Tim's a really nice guy, and very enthusiastic still. He was very impressed by Andy Rouse, both as a gentleman and as a setter-upper of SD1s.

and to add to what Terry has provided....

Quote: he had an ex-Andy Rouse Rover in 85 and 86, shared at Bathurst with Geoff Leeds, a Charger in the mid 70's while working as a mechanic at Leederville Chrysler and a couple of seasons in the Elfin MR6 that included the shonky ARCO series that none of the guys got paid for.

I was in Perth recently and we still talk about the F5000 days - reckons that was a REAL race car - it was too, just loved it.

Tim has no time for the V8SC series. The Westracing business is going very well Unquote

Maybe someone can persuade Tim to come back and have some fun in F5000 or another category? He is only in his early 60s

If my memory serves me right there was another player in th whole thing with V8 super car thing and that was I.M.G.

They became involved with V8 early on and forced the move from the traditional Bathurst date as part of the push to get a "better deal" for the top gun drivers. They brought their management products to Touring cars and in my mind that was where the rot set in which changed the whole deal such that no one can race at Bathurst in any category if they don't have a franchise for V8 super cars, utes, V8 development series or Touring car masters.

Yeah - just me being lazy - Cochrane being shorthand for Avesco, and pretty much synonymous with it for so song. I don't know a lot about this area of motor racing, not being a great fan of the setup. I didn't even see Bathurst all the way through this year, missed the apparently exciting finale. Other things to do.